Eleven more Covid-19 patients have died in Northern Ireland

Eleven more people who tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland have died, in the last 24-hour reporting period, according to the latest figures released by the Department of Health.

It brings the official death toll in Northern Ireland since the beginning of the pandemic to 802.

That figure is expected to be much higher when deaths in all community settings have been accounted for.

• Department of Health: Covid-19 data dashboard

There have also been 514 new cases of the virus in the last 24-hour period, out of 2,449 people who were tested.

In the last seven days, there have been 3,736 cases, including 703 in the Belfast area.

It means there were 1,043 fewer confirmed cases of the virus compared to the previous seven days.

420 people with Covid-19 are currently being treated in hospitals across Northern Ireland.

50 of those patients are in intensive care and 39 are on ventilators.

There are currently 146 confirmed outbreaks in care homes, and a further 3 suspected outbreaks.

These latest figures come as the Executive struggles to agree on whether to end, extend or amend the current coronavirus regulations, which are due to expire at midnight on Thursday.

The delay in the decision making process has been met by much frustration from the hospitality sector and those who work in close contact services.